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Jaco was 16, and drummer for "Las Olas Brass" , in Fort Lauderdale when Rich Franks,
a phenomenal drummer, moved into town, and the band had asked Jaco to step down.
While attending one of the rehearsals with Rich, the bass player left in discord, so
Jaco picked up the bass, and said he would like to play bass in the band.
He was then told he could, and had a week to learn the material.
The rest is HIS-story .......
Jaco later confided in Rich and said:
"..the moment I picked up the bass I knew it was my instrument."
It is this reality that later on prompted Jaco to often tell musicians to try other
instruments, because you just never know what other axe might be the one for you.
Read some of Rich Franks' loving and important memories of his friend here.
::::The Stickfigure::::
Jaco drew the bass playing stick figure for a calling card his one time "manager" used.
Neil Weiss (Big World Music) gave Julius, Felix and I the one Jaco had given him,
which the Jaco Pastorius corporation is using for their merchandise.
Enormous Thanks, Neil!! :o)
::::Mr. Bob Whitlock::::
Jaco started playing the bass at age 16, and was attending North East High School,
Oakland Park, Florida. He use to skip lunch or class as often as he could to visit Bob
Whitlock who was employed at Hale's Piano nearby. In between taking care of
customers Mr. Whitlock would practice his guitar, which is when Jaco would
relentlessly question him about the left hand, arpeggios, and fingering.
Mr. Whitlock recognized Jaco's talent, and recommended him for gigs.
click here to read article!
::::Dr. Bob::::
Dr. Bob received a call one day, from a fellow musician,
who asked him if he could teach this young kid some tunes
on the upright for a gig coming up.
The following day at his door stood Jaco and his bass.
As usual, Jaco's energetic persistance prevailed, and
he learned the material in no time.
A short time later, the same friend of Dr. Bob's told him
that this kid he taught the tunes to was now on the electric.
He said that when he visited Jaco recently Jaco sat with bass in hand, playing,
in between eating cereal, talking, watching TV...never putting the instrument down.
Tracy, Jaco's first wife, and mother of John and Mary remembers:
"Jaco practiced all the time but never late at night. He rarely stayed up late
unless he had a gig - he loved getting up early. But, whether he was sitting in
the back yard soaking up the sun or watching Star Trek or Jeopardy on TV, his bass
was always in his hands. It never bothered me - I don't know why - maybe because my
father was a jazz musician too. I've read where people have said he never practiced,
but that wasn't the case when I was with him. All his early works were written on the
bass because we couldn't afford a piano. Then he actually started writing on a little
toy piano my mother had given our daughter Mary for her birthday. He had never had a
music lesson and I remember my mom showing him where "C" was on that little toy piano."
Jaco's powerful tune, Domingo, for big band was written on said toy piano.
::::Croton Leaves::::
In case you are wondering about all the leaves you see on the site, crotons were
Jaco's favorite plant being that they are diverse in color, as well as in shape.
B A C K
Email: JacoFamilySite@aol.com
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